Well, the Carolina Panthers game sucked in more ways than one.

It’s mainly because the Green Bay Packers suffered a loss to Carolina, a 13.5-point underdog, at home. But mostly because they just lost perhaps their most important offensive weapon in tight end Tucker Kraft to a season-ending ACL tear.

Monday brought the official word that added insult to injury for everyone associated with the Green Bay Packers: They will have to try to reach the Super Bowl without their emerging superstar. If there is any silver lining, it’s that they are slated to return wide receivers Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks, two playmakers on offense, which might help fill the void.

Let’s be clear. There is no replacing Tucker Kraft. He was on his way to an All-Pro season and really just beginning to scratch the surface of the type of player that he can become. Green Bay’s YAC machine was developing into Jordan Love’s go-to option in 2025.

Kraft caught 32 passes for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight games this year. He was coming off his best game as a professional last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers with seven catches and 143 yards with two touchdowns. Even after Christian Watson’s return and first-round wide receiver Matthew Golden pining to get more involved, Matt LaFleur was going to have to make Kraft the focal point of his offense – he was just too good not to.

Now the Packers must shift their focus elsewhere, and the returning Reed and Wicks can help plug that hole. Wicks could return as soon as this week against the Philadelphia Eagles, per LaFleur, and it will come at the perfect time.

Wicks wasn’t having a great statistical season before the calf injury he suffered in Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals. He only had 13 catches for 134 yards and no touchdowns. Still, Wicks is one of Green Bay’s best route-running receiver. He can create separation quickly with his impressive footwork.

Wicks’s lack of production this year has more to do with him being a victim of Green Bay having too many options and only one football to sling around, rather than his lack of talent. Wicks can help step into the role of someone who can be an option on must-have downs. Kraft was developing into the target when the Packers needed a third- or fourth-down conversion.

Look no further than the fourth-and-two in the Arizona Cardinals game. If the Packers don’t convert that, the game is over. Upon receiving the football from Elgton Jenkins, there was only one place Love looked – Kraft. Wicks has zero drops this season, and he has seemingly put the drop issues from 2024 behind him. Therefore, he can become Love’s trusted option when he needs a completion.

Reed’s return is a little further away, but his initial timeline after suffering the injury was right around six weeks. That would put him slated to return at the end of this month. When asked at his Monday press conference, Matt LaFleur was noncommittal on when his slot receiver was going to return to the field.

When reporters asked if Reed was getting close, LaFleur responded by saying, “He’s getting healthier, yes. But would I say he’s close? What is close?”

Reporters saw Reed running off to the side at practice, leading one to think his return is on schedule. We could see the Packers activate his three-week practice window any time now.

Reed isn’t just another receiver that would help fill in snaps; he’s the kind of player that could create mismatches and open up the playbook. His route running and ability to win in the middle of the field will give Love and LaFleur one more option to help expose defenses.

With Reed out of the lineup, LaFleur and the Packers have had to lean more on three-receiver sets while trying to maximize speed and space.

Green Bay’s offense has struggled to find the same rhythm it has when Reed is in the lineup. Watson is more of the deep threat that this team was missing when he was out. Unfortunately, rookie Matthew Golden hasn’t been able to replicate Reed’s savvy and versatility that one would have hoped for. Reed’s return will give LaFleur one more puzzle piece to work with on a team that. After Sunday’s offensive performance, they will take as many as they can get.

One interesting factor to consider with Kraft being out for the rest of the season is the effect that will have on the number of two-tight-end sets the Packers run. LaFleur loves to feature two-tight-end sets, but with Musgrave moving to TE1 and John FitzPatrick now the primary backup, will that change?

The Packers typically only have two wide receivers on the field when they run two-tight-end sets. If LaFleur dials that back and runs more three-wide-receiver sets and one tight end, we could see more snaps needing to be soaked up by receivers. Watson and Doubs are going to be too valuable to take off the field. Reed is the team’s best slot option, so he could be the natural beneficiary of that personnel change.

Reed also gives LaFleur’s team an experienced option at punt returner. While I have never been a big fan of having Reed return punts, he might be the best option on this roster. Matthew Golden was an unmitigated disaster when he opened the season as the primary returner. That decision was always perplexing to begin with, given his lack of experience. He didn’t show the required decision-making or burst needed to be a dangerous option.

The Packers trotted Keisean Nixon out for one return, and he promptly fumbled. Romeo Doubs has been back handling those duties for the last few weeks and is nothing more than a reliable set of hands the coaching staff knows won’t put the ball on the ground.

Reed only has 204 return yards on 25 returns in the NFL, but he has multiple punts returned for touchdowns in college, including an 88-yarder. To truly contend, the Packers can’t keep operating the way they are at punt returner. Maybe Reed can bring a spark when he’s back on the field.

It’s not often that a team loses a playmaker and can replace them in-house with two players returning from injury, but that’s exactly where the Packers find themselves. Two years ago, Wicks and Reed showed what they can provide to this offense. They were both big reasons that team won a playoff game and were a drive away from the NFC Championship game.

While 2024 didn’t go as planned and 2025 isn’t off to the start they each wanted, Wicks and Reed are going to return from injury and be slotted right back into prominent roles again. It’s exactly what this Packers team is going to need.